WAKING THE DEAD - LIVE IN JAPAN 2005

My two favourite albums from the band equally share four songs on this live album. I can't be more happy with this.

The sound is excellent throughout this record and the whole power of this live set is perfectly rendered. The dramatic and melancholic side of their music is greatly expressed during such brilliant songs as "From Within" and "Monolith".

What has fascinated me with this band (but only after their first two albums) is the extraordinary mellotron work. This is truly remarkable and should appeal all the lovers (to which I fully belong) Of these great sounds. While they are more expected in the symphonic genre, their use here in some harder type of music should just blow you away. Great music, indeed!

But there are absolutely no bad track available here even if "SW4" is probably the weakest of the whole. Powerful music, melodic music, fabulous music ("Kiss Of Life"). And what to say about the fantastic "Hole". Dark, spacey, symphonic. Isn't this the true meaning of eclectic?

There are two unreleased songs available of which "Moons Of Mars". Just listen to the cold mellotron harmonies featured. Just shivering, my prog friends. A jewel of a symphonic piece of art. Brilliant. They could have extended it for (almost) ever. Fascinating, really. Like the gloomy "The Sun Absolute".

To name the highlights would almost signify to name almost each track here. But "Ricochet" definitely belongs to my fave. The melody again is not forgotten and gorgeous mellotron lines add such a grandeur to this great number.

The closing number and only survivor of their early days is fully ITCOTCK oriented. Pure symphony. Do I need to mention anything about the mellotron? No? OK! But by now, I guess that you know what I mean.

This is an excellent start to discover two of their albums. The band is not really prolific (only five studio albums in forteen years) but they are very strong on stage and this "Waking The Dead" could well be one of the best live album from the last ten years.

Four stars and a half?

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